Your Child’s Care Team

Our board-certified pediatricians receive support from a team of professionals who work together and share the common goal of improving your child’s health. Below are a few of our team members who may interact with your child in the Pediatric department.

Medical Assistant Medical Assistants support our pediatricians and are trained to perform many of the same functions as a physician, which includes removing sutures, changing wound dressings, and providing health education.

Licensed Vocational Nurse Licensed Vocational Nurses work under the supervision of a Registered Nurse to provide basic nursing care, including taking and recording a patient’s blood pressure, height and weight.

Registered Nurse Pediatric Registered Nurses may perform physical examinations, measure vital statistics, take blood and urine samples and order diagnostic tests.

Most of the time, your child’s office visits will be scheduled with your family care physician or pediatrician. However, there may be times when your child’s primary pediatrician is unavailable. You can rest assured that your child will be in excellent hands with any member of our pediatric care team described above.

During a hospital stay

Leaving your child in the hospital can be stressful. But you’ll have peace of mind knowing they are receiving expert care tailored to meet their specific needs. During an inpatient hospital stay, your child’s care team may include:

Child Life Specialist Child Life Specialists work as a team with physicians, nurses, social workers to meet the developmental, social and emotional needs of our young patients and their family. Our staff uses evidence-based techniques and developmental preparation to help your child understand why they are in the hospital, and what their job is in their recovery.

Diabetic Specialist The Diabetic Specialist’s role is to educate and support people living with diabetes. Our pediatric diabetic specialists are specially trained to help children manage diabetes by following a care plan that may include regular doctor visits, regular exercise, healthy eating, blood sugar monitoring, and more.

Dietitian A Pediatric Dietitian provides medical nutrition therapy for your child, assessing the dietary health needs, explaining nutritional issues and developing customized meal plans.

Occupational Therapist Pediatric Occupational Therapists work with children who, because of illness, injury, developmental delays, or psychological problems, need assistance in learning skills to help them lead independent, productive, and satisfying lives. Occupational therapists use work, self-care, and recreational activities to increase independent function.

Pediatric Intensive Care Nurse Our Pediatric Intensive Care Nurses form an important part of the care team, providing round-the-clock care for children with high-acuity conditions that require constant monitoring. Our nurses collaborate with families, physicians and other health care experts to determine the best course of care for your child’s recovery.

Pediatric Intensivist A Pediatric Intensivist is a physician who cares for infants and children who need a high-level of monitoring in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit. In many cases, the Pediatric Intensivist serves as the overall coordinating physician, working with a multidisciplinary team of specialists to care for your child.

Physical Therapist A Pediatric Physical Therapist is often an important part of your child’s rehabilitation team, helping them to improve their movement and manage their pain following an illness, injury or chronic condition.

Resident Physician Our Resident Physicians work together with the attending physician to develop the right care plan for your child. Resident physicians’ approach to care is informed by the latest, evidence-based practices that are currently being taught in medical school.

Respiratory Therapist Pediatric Respiratory Therapists work with toddlers and older children, providing breathing treatments and other care for children with asthma, cystic fibrosis, and a wide range of other respiratory problems. Neonatal Respiratory Therapists monitor the breathing of premature babies, treat infants born with pulmonary diseases or disorders, or respond to the unique respiratory care needs of an infant in an emergency.

Social Worker Our dedicated Pediatric Social Workers are available to provide support to children and families during times of stress. They are prepared to diagnose and treat mental, behavioral and emotional issues, partnering with you to develop a personalized care plan that helps your child thrive.

Certified Specialty Nurse Certified Specialty Nurses are Registered Nurses with advanced training who have achieved certification in a specific specialty care discipline, providing crucial support to our Pediatric departments.

Speech Therapist Our Pediatric Speech Therapists work with children who have difficulty with verbal communication. They also treat oral motor concerns, such as chewing and swallowing, as well as articulation, auditory processing and social skills.

Other Options for Timely Access to Care

Kaiser Permanente offers many ways for your child to receive care. You can make an in-person appointment, or speak to doctor from the comfort of your own home or other location with our convenient Telehealth services. See all of the ways your child can get care on the Los Angeles Medical Center appointment page.